Resources for carers > Common questions from carers > Q: I am a carer and have managed on my own up to now, but life is getting more and more difficult. What should I do?

Q: I am a carer and have managed on my own up to now, but life is getting more and more difficult. What should I do?

A: Usually the first thing to do is to contact Social Services. All the services they give are provided on the basis of an assessment, so you should ask for the needs of the person you care for to be assessed. Ask for a Carers Assessment at the same time, so that your needs can be included. You may also want to contact your local Citizen's Advice Bureau to check whether there are any benefits you or the person you care for are entitled to, which would help you to buy the help you want. Staff in any of the Carers Network organizations can talk through your needs with you, so please do contact your nearest one first if you are unsure of how to proceed.

You can get more information from:

West Sussex Carers Network Carers Support Services across West Sussex

Contact details for the Social and Caring Services

The Citizen's Advice Bureau